


midnight

by stardewvalley



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-12 19:24:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15346911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardewvalley/pseuds/stardewvalley
Summary: ness and jeff relax at the park





	midnight

“I told you Ness, I can not play baseball!!” Jeff’s exasperated cry echoed against the pavement. It was surprisingly late to play baseball, but Ness had gotten a craving. 

“Jeffy, you haven't even tried!” Ness said jokingly, tossing his well-used ball into the air glancing back at the other. He grinned softly. “We don't have to play. I think I just wanted to hang out.”

The two had ran up the hill leading up to the neighborhood park. Jeff was a nerd, and had no stamina whatsoever, so he was out of breath by the time they both reached the top. Jeff rested his hands on his knees, bending over, gasping for breath. He looked up at Ness, who was casually leaning against the street light pole.

The air was cold. Ness could feel his nose beginning to chill. He smiled, but something was off.

“So, Ness, if you want to hang out, what are we doing at the park in the middle of the night?” Jeff’s voice was tinged with annoyance. Ness had messaged him late into the night, and though Jeff was planning on staying up, didn't expect to come all the way to the park.

Ness looked down, his warm grin fading.

“I was.. getting kind of upset at home. I just wanted to relax.” Ness murmured, managing to avoid describing what had happened, but he was sure that his face showed his lie. Truth be told, Ness wanted to be with Jeff.

“Well, you could've just called me..” Jeff stood up, surveying the park. He let out a exasperated but playful sigh. “But this works too, i guess.” 

They were sitting on the park bench. Ness kept looking up at the stars, but the lights were too bright and few poked out beyond the light pollution.

“I got angry. I thought running away would be a good idea but i feel so silly now. I broke the window and mom got mad at me.” Ness sat back. “I bet she's angrier now. I hate getting angry.”

Jeff mirrored Ness’s lean back. He stayed silent for a moment. “I don't think you’re angry.” Jeff’s voice was quiet and soft, contrasting Ness’s abrasive, raw one. “Sometimes we make mistakes.” Jeff flinched at the idea of Ness breaking a window, and through his thick-rimmed glasses, managed to glance the scrapes on Ness’s knuckles.

“Eh.” Ness tilted his head, looking towards the sky. “I get like this all the time, it's not a mistake.” He smiled, almost sarcastically. They both fell into a somewhat awkward silence, Ness’s arms draped over the side of the bench, almost touching Jeff’s back. Jeff poked at his phone, shockingly bright against the nearly pitch black park.

Several minutes passed and it was starting to get cold, colder than it typically was at night. Onett was like this in the winter, cold enough to bite, but not enough to snow. Jeff missed the snow. 

Ness stood up, stretching, and avoided Jeff’s tired gaze. His voice was wobbly. “Well, I’m sorry for dragging you out here. I don’t know what I was doing, sorry..” Jeff could barely see Ness’s arm raise up to his face. “I’ll head home now. Night night, Jeffy.”

He turned away, pivoting sharply and began to walk off. Jeff stood up and caught up to him, and not being sure of what he was doing, hugged Ness from behind. 

“I know you're not a bad person. Please don't think you are.” Jeff’s face scrunched up, embarrassed, but kept his arms locked tight. He could feel Ness trembling under his touch. The taller boy tensed up, and Jeff flinched, expecting a retort and loosened his grin.

What he did not expect was to see Ness’s face full of tears. Almost comically so, he let out a loud wail. “I don't want to be a bad person!!” He choked out between sobs. “I want to be nice!! I want to be like I was before!!” Ness reached towards Jeff, pulling him into a hug, which made the smaller flinch. Ness released him quickly, the hug only lasting seconds, and wiped a tear away using his baseball-shirt sleeve. 

“I promise, Jeff! I’ll be a good person for you!!” Ness’s voice seems louder, and Jeff suppressed the urge to shush him. Instead, the glasses-wearing kid simply smiled and said. “You already are.”

After saying their goodbyes, Jeff arrived home. He made sure to close the door slowly and quietly, as to not wake his host parents. Tiptoeing up the stairs and shutting his bedroom door, he collapsed onto his bed. He shut his eyes, but heard a ding on his phone before falling asleep.

Squinting without his glasses, he saw it was a text from Ness

 

gamer zone #general3 ness: thank you for caring about me.

**Author's Note:**

> this isnt shipping


End file.
